Betty Bletz, a probation officer with Caddo Parish Juvenile Services, talks with a boy about his mental health issues in this Jan. 11, 2009, photo. State cuts in 2013 eliminated funding for the program's mental health assessment center.

Written by

Alexandria Burris

When Caddo Parish put together its budget last year, the juvenile justice fund had a $2.9 million deficit. The parish's answer was to transfer $3.1 million from the its Criminal Justice Fund to offset the deficit and maintain services. Clay Walker, director of juvenile services, equates the practice to "plugging a hole."

"The parish commission, as I understand it, does have the funds to plug that hole, but it doesn't leave us any room to grow or adapt when things like this happen," he said.

The "things" Walker is referring to are the cuts in state funding the department experienced last year ...